WhatsApp launches AI-powered customer support for small businesses in India; UPI payments coming soon

WhatsApp on May 7 launched “Business AI” for businesses in India, bringing artificial intelligence-powered customer support directly to the WhatsApp Business app in a move aimed at helping small businesses automate customer interactions, improve sales conversions and manage high query volumes without relying on third-party tools.

The feature, available in all native Indian languages, allows eligible businesses to respond to customer queries 24/7, capture leads, book appointments and recommend products directly within WhatsApp chats. Meta said the AI assistant can also be customised using a business’s own catalogues, documents and profile information to answer questions related to products, pricing, discounts, shipping and other customer support queries.

The company also said Business AI will soon support UPI-based payments directly within WhatsApp chats.

“Small businesses are the backbone of India's economy, and we deeply understand the value of every customer conversation for them,” said Ravi Garg, Director, Business Messaging, Meta India.

“Over the years, we've consistently heard that managing high volumes of customer queries with limited resources remains one of the biggest challenges for small businesses. This is where we believe that AI can be a game-changer for them,” Garg said.

“With the introduction of Business AI on WhatsApp, we're now putting that power directly into the hands of small businesses — ensuring they never miss a customer query outside business hours or struggle to keep up during peak demand,” he added.

The rollout comes as conversational commerce continues to expand rapidly in India. According to a 2025 study by Kantar cited by Meta, 91% of online adults in India chat with businesses on a weekly basis, making messaging platforms one of the primary channels for customer engagement.

Meta said the AI assistant can handle routine conversations automatically, while business owners retain full control and can step in whenever queries require human intervention.

Eligible businesses can access the feature through the “Your Business AI” option under the Tools section in the WhatsApp Business app. Meta said the feature will gradually roll out to all eligible businesses in the coming weeks.